There are more than 250 NHS charities across the UK and most of them focus on helping our hospitals do more. Collectively these charities give £1 million every day to the NHS so that people can stay well for longer and get better faster. In recent years NHS charities have funded major capital projects, pioneering research and medical equipment at our hospitals, helping patients access the best possible care when they need it most.

They also play a key role in mobilising volunteers to support NHS staff, brightening wards and waiting areas with colourful and engaging art and building an important link between our hospitals and our communities. Other NHS charities support mental health trusts, community health trusts and ambulance trusts.

These vital funds and services are above and beyond what the NHS alone can provide, touching lives and making a huge difference to millions of people when they are at their most vulnerable.